According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.2 km² (12.1 mi²). 9.5 km² (3.7 mi²) of it is land and 21.8 km² (8.4 mi²) of it (69.65%) is water.

History

There is no record of the first European settler, but it is known that ships were encountering one another in the harbor in the 1600s. Eastport was incorporated as a town in 1798. From 1807 to 1809 the town was a center of extensive two-way smuggling during the 1807-1809 embargo the U.S. imposed upon itself. Lubec, on the mainland, split off to be a separate town in 1811. The city was captured by a British fleet under the command of Sir Thomas Hardy on July 11, 1814 as part of the War of 1812, and returned to the United States control in 1818. The boundary between the U.S. and Canada in the area was still disputed at the time, and finally settled by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842. In 1893 Eastport reincorporated as a city.The population grew with the emergence of the sardine fishery and related canning businesses, which studded the shoreline by the end of the nineteenth century. As the industry declined, many people moved away. The city went bankrupt in 1937. In 1976, the Groundhog Day Gale destroyed many structures on the waterfront.

There is an international ferry crossing to Deer Island during the summer months. Eastport's 4th of July is a destination for thousands of celebrants. Navy ships have docked there during the 4th of July celebration for many years. The city celebrated its bicentennial in 1998. In 2001, Eastport was the setting of the reality TV show Murder in Small Town X, where it was referred to as "Sunrise."

Demography

The population peaked at 5,311 in 1900. It fell more or less constantly until about 1970 when it stabilized at around 2,000 people. As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 1,640 people, 750 households, and 444 families residing in the city. The population density was 173.0/km² (447.7/mi²). There were 1,061 housing units at an average density of 111.9/km² (289.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.60% White, 0.37% African American, 3.96% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

Photo by James Lowe

Click for larger view

Border Historical SocietyEASTPORT

There were 750 households out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.69.

In the city the population was spread out with 18.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,488, and the median income for a family was $31,328. Males had a median income of $22,875 versus $17,917 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,864. About 11.2% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.